International Master‵s Program in Asia-Pacific Studies

Starting on October 20, the International Master’s Program in Asia-Pacific Studies (IMAS) launched a week-long series of significant international exchange events.

The first visitors were Professor Simon U. Ortuanya and Professor Oguejiofo T. Ujam, former and current Vice-Chancellors of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), accompanied by Professor Nnanna Arukwe, Head of the Department of Criminology and Security Studies at UNN. The delegation visited Taiwan to explore opportunities for collaboration and academic exchange.

IMAS also co-hosted the 10th Anniversary Celebration of the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) at the College of Social Sciences (CSS), National Chengchi University (NCCU).

Established in 2015 by the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT)—the de facto U.S. Embassy in Taiwan—and Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the GCTF promotes capacity building and training in the Indo-Pacific region by leveraging Taiwan’s professional expertise in collaboration with partners such as the United States, Japan, and Australia. The initiative addresses pressing global challenges including public health, humanitarian assistance, cybersecurity, and supply chain resilience.

The GCTF High-Level Commemorative Roundtable took place on October 23, 2025, in partnership with the CSS and IMAS. Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao attended to express gratitude to partner countries. Distinguished guests included MOFA Minister Lin Chia-lung, AIT Director Raymond Greene, Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Chief Representative Kazuyuki Katayama, Australian Office Representative Robert Fergusson, Canadian Trade Office in Taipei Executive Director Marie-Louise Hannan, and British Office Taipei Representative Ruth Bradley-Jones. Over 30 diplomats and representatives from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and several European nations—including the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, and Israel—also joined the celebration.

The roundtable, hosted by CSS Dean Wan-ying Yang, invited representatives from member countries to review the GCTF’s accomplishments over the past decade. The event drew enthusiastic participation from NCCU faculty, students, and especially IMAS international students to engage directly with global delegates.

IMAS students Audrey Meloche, Daniel Gombos, Kei Motimifagha, and Max Solberg posed questions to the foreign delegates. Minister Lin Chia-lung notably responded to Kei Motimifagha’s question about expanding the GCTF to Africa and later shared a photo of her inquiry on his Instagram account.

Both UNN Vice-Chancellors also participated in the GCTF event. Beforehand, they met with officials from MOFA’s Department of West Asian and African Affairs to explore future cooperation opportunities, and with NCCU President Tsai-yen Lee to discuss establishing academic exchange programs between NCCU and UNN.

To better understand the experiences of international students in Taiwan, the Nigerian delegation attended IMAS classes and joined discussions on topics such as China–Africa relations and comparisons between Taiwan’s and Nigeria’s colonial histories.

The delegation also joined the IMAS field study program, visiting the Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology to learn about Taiwan’s Neolithic culture dating back over 2,000 years. They toured Fort San Domingo and Sino-French War historical sites, gaining insights into Taiwan’s interactions with Europe between the 17th and 19th centuries.

Their final stop was the former residence of Premier Sun Yun-suan, where they learned how his 1980s economic policies paved the way for Taiwan’s world-leading semiconductor industry. The visitors were especially intrigued by his tenure as General Manager of the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (1964–1967), which foreshadowed his later achievements in driving Taiwan’s industrial transformation.

IMAS Director Philip Hsiaopong Liu emphasized that the program’s mission is to cultivate global talent by combining Taiwan’s perspectives with international engagement. He highlighted that this International Week offered IMAS students a rare chance to interact directly with prominent political and academic figures, enriching their understanding beyond the classroom. He concluded by expressing hope that more young scholars from around the world will join the IMAS community in the coming years.